Early in the morning.

Ludger and Arfa finished their breakfast, provided by the Landriver Hotel, and checked out.

“There are so ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) many people out and about already. And it’s still so early,” Arfa muttered, gazing at the morning scenery.

Because the city was close to the mountainous basin, the air was quite chilly.

A faint mist blanketed the entire city, and within it, many people bustled about.

“It’s because today is the day of [Mystic Night].”

“So all these people are mages?”

“Not all of them. But most are.”

Through the monocle on his right eye, Ludger examined the people moving along the street.

Eight out of ten passersby carried traces of mana. In other words, almost all of them were mages.

Of course, their levels of skill differed, as did their individual purposes, but they all shared one thing in common: every single one of them was heading toward the Kasarr Basin, where Mystic Night was being held.

“At this rate, we might not even find a carriage to take us there.”

“Don’t worry.”

No sooner had Ludger spoken than a carriage stopped right in front of them.

It was once again drawn by horses formed of pure mana. Seeing who held the reins, Arfa’s eyes widened.

“Oh. It’s the same driver from yesterday!”

“Good morning, sir mage. And to your assistant as well,” the coachman greeted with a polite smile.

“Yes, good morning.”

After exchanging a brief greeting with the coachman, Ludger stepped into the carriage, with Arfa following a bit awkwardly.

“When did you call him?”

“I gave him extra coin yesterday when we got off and asked him to wait at this hour. It was obvious that on the day itself, everything would be fully booked.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that.”

The carriage set off, leaving the city and climbing the winding road that led to the Kasarr Basin.

Despite the incline, the trip wasn’t uncomfortable. What had once been a small village had developed into a proper city, and well-paved roads stretched where people often traveled.

As time passed and the sun rose higher, the surroundings grew darker instead of brighter.

The closer they got to the basin, the denser the fog became.

“We’ve arrived,” the coachman announced, halting the carriage.

Arfa glanced around and realized they hadn’t yet reached the basin itself.

“Isn’t there still some distance to go?”

“This is as far as carriages like mine can go. Any farther, and the excess mana in the air would prevent the carriage from moving.”

His words rang true—around them, passengers were also disembarking from other carriages.

“Arfa. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

After tipping the coachman generously, Ludger received a bright smile and a respectful bow in return.

“If you ever visit again, please ask for me. I’ll make sure to serve you even better next time.”

Once the coachman departed, Ludger and Arfa continued along the paved road.

The fog thickened the closer they got to the basin, but there was no risk of getting lost. Not only were the roads well-maintained, but the sheer number of people traveling in the same direction made the mist almost irrelevant.

If you weren’t sure where to go, all you had to do was follow the crowd.

“There,” Ludger murmured, lifting his head.

Even with the thick mist, what he was staring at loomed far above it all.

It looked like a giant dome, as if a mass of towering clouds had descended from the sky—an immense white barrier formed by mana saturation, one of nature’s strange phenomena.

Inside that white wall lay the Kasarr Basin.

‘Plenty of big-name mages have gathered here.’

Through his monocle, Ludger could gauge the considerable mana of the mages around him.

Just as he was observing them, many were secretly observing him in return.

‘That man...’

‘I recognize that face.’

‘The lecturer from the Arcane Chamber... it’s him.’

Quite a few mages who recognized him stared, their eyes gleaming with interest.

Ludger could feel their gazes, but he didn’t bother reacting.

“Leader, everyone’s staring at you.”

“They recognized me. But they won’t bother me right now.”

“Why not?”

“Because getting in there is more important.”

At that moment, a ripple of noise spread through the line of mages ahead—exclamations of shock, wonder, and excitement.

The sound carried through the mist, echoing in everyone’s ears.

“Leader. Do you see that? Up ahead,” Arfa said, his keen eyesight catching the movement first.

“The gate’s opening.”

Arfa’s words were vague, but no one who saw the scene could deny it.

The wall of white mist blanketing the Kasarr Basin was spinning, forming a giant whirlpool-like gap.

It wasn’t something anyone had created—this was a naturally opening pathway.

The entrance to the Kasarr Basin, which opened only three days each year.

“The Kasarr Basin!”

“The gate’s open!”

“Hurry! We need to get in and claim a spot!”

The mages forgot all about decorum, rushing through the newly opened path.

Though the crowd was massive, the gateway was even larger, opening wide like a castle gate welcoming foreign dignitaries.

Ludger and Arfa followed the flow of people into the passage.

Inside, it was eerily quiet.

“Why does a path like this open in the first place?”

“They say it happens when currents of excess mana collide.”

“Collide?”

“Yes. Sometimes stray mana currents crash into each other. Normally, the stronger flow would swallow the weaker, but in rare cases, for some mysterious reason, the powers cancel each other out, leaving a void.”

“Oh. So that void forms this opening?”

“Exactly. This space is essentially a magical vacuum. Not something you see every day.”

It was no wonder mages went mad for the chance to enter.

After passing through the long passage, their vision suddenly cleared, and a breathtaking sight spread before them.

“Wow...”

“Incredible...”

The first-timers among the mages couldn’t hold back their awe. No one scolded them for losing composure—this view was too magnificent.

From the outside, the basin had looked like a dome of white mist, but inside was another world entirely.

Expansive fields stretched across the terrain, dotted with small forests and streams of clear water.

But the true wonder was the color.

A faint, almost aquatic emerald glow bathed the entire basin, like sunlight filtering through coral reefs.

Mixed with it were soft hues of yellow, pale pink, and magenta, blending together like a watercolor painting, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

It felt like dreaming with your eyes wide open.

‘Beautiful,’ Ludger thought.

He had traveled the world and seen many wonders of nature, to the point where little could move him anymore.

But even he felt a deep stirring at the sight of the Kasarr Basin.

“Move quickly!”

“We only have three days! Stay focused, everyone!”

Groups of mages, especially those traveling for research, moved with sharp efficiency despite the view.

Some paused to admire the scenery, while others immediately got to work.

From this point on, it was clear that everyone had different objectives.

“Where are those people heading?” Arfa asked.

“The forward base,” Ludger replied.

He watched the bustling group of mages moving in formation.

To prove they belonged to the same faction, they all wore pristine white robes emblazoned with the same emblem.

“And it’s also where the banquet hall for the mages’ festival will be.”

Arfa soon understood what he meant.

Deeper inside the Kasarr Basin, makeshift tents set up by mages stood in neat rows.

The large triangular tents, glowing with magical lanterns of different colors, blended strangely yet beautifully with the basin’s ethereal atmosphere.

A sizable stream flowed through the middle, with a wooden bridge built to make crossing easier.

It was obvious that preparations had been underway for quite some time.

Arfa stopped on the wooden bridge, peering down curiously at the water below.

Even the running water shimmered with a faint emerald glow, likely because it was saturated with mana.

“There are even fish swimming in there?”

“They’re not ordinary fish. Either they’ve evolved to adapt to this environment, or the excessive mana mutated them... You could call them proto-spirit beasts,” Ludger explained.

“Those little fish are spirit beasts?”

“Not all of them. Just because a creature carries a lot of mana doesn’t make it a spirit beast, just like not everyone with mana is a mage.”

Ludger shifted his gaze toward the dense forest beyond the forward base in the center of the basin.

“But in this place, real spirit beasts—ones that have learned to wield their power—are bound to exist.”

“Weren’t spirit beasts only rumors? No one’s actually seen one, right?”

“There’ve been stories about people encountering strange creatures, but no concrete evidence. Still, rumors don’t persist for no reason.”

Arfa’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Wow. A spirit beast... I’m dying to see one. Until now, they’ve only been things we read about in records.”

“Indeed. I haven’t seen one myself either.”

“Leader, I just thought of something. What would happen if Hans used a spirit beast’s fang?”

That was... unexpected.

But now that Arfa had said it, Ludger couldn’t help but be curious himself.

If they really did encounter a spirit beast and it wasn’t hostile, maybe they could at least get a fang or claw fragment.

Hans would probably look conflicted if Ludger gave it to him as a gift.

But maybe that was reason enough to try.

These thoughts still lingered when they reached the forward base, where a wave of noise instantly washed over them.

Tents and canopies lined the area, and some mages had even set up stalls, selling various items.

The crimson glow of magical lanterns, the lively chatter, and the small displays of magic everywhere—it was like a mage’s night market.

‘This world has been in the industrial age for quite some time, yet this place feels like a relic of the past.’

Ludger and Arfa arrived at their reserved tent.

Because they had invitations, it had been prepared in advance.

‘Connections do make life easier.’

The inside of the tent was surprisingly spacious.

Carpets, sofas, and even basic necessities were neatly arranged.

This wasn’t some cramped two-person shelter—it could easily fit ten people.

Of course, not all tents here were like this. This one was clearly larger and more expensive than most.

“Leader, I’ll go look around and get familiar with the area,” Arfa said.

“Go ahead.”

Once Arfa left, Ludger sank into the sofa with a quiet sigh.

‘So, I finally made it to the Kasarr Basin. Now I need to find Lesley here.’

And after that, he had to gain access to the secret manor’s library and check the ancient texts stored there.

Considering all that, three days felt painfully short.

‘And with over a thousand mages gathered here, how easy will it be to find Lesley, who’s concealing their identity?’

If he tried to make contact too hastily, it would only draw suspicion.

For now, it was best to simply watch.

Whatever Lesley planned, it was clearly no small matter.

Preparations of this scale couldn’t go unnoticed.

If Ludger could catch a lead, finding Lesley wouldn’t be impossible.

As he was lost in thought, a shadow flickered in the corner of the tent.

“Arfa?” he called.

If Arfa had returned, he would’ve announced himself.

Which meant—an intruder.

Ludger’s expression hardened, his aura sharpening.

Without a sound, he drew a dagger from his belt, hiding it under his sleeve as he moved slowly toward where the shadow had vanished.

Whoever had entered without permission had a reason for being here.

Better to strike first before they tried anything.

He crept up to the side of a cabinet, glanced behind it—and froze, his tension dissolving at once.

“...A child?”

Crouched behind the cabinet was a little girl, no older than six.

‘What is a child doing here?’

While rare, it wasn’t impossible.

Some people visited the Kasarr Basin as tourists.

Perhaps she had come with her family and gotten lost.

Ludger crouched down, speaking gently.

“Little one. Did you get lost?”

The girl looked at him nervously and nodded.

“Where are your parents?”

She shook her head.

Did she mean they weren’t here, or that she’d been separated from them? Ludger couldn’t tell.

Then, in a tiny voice, she said:

“I’m... looking for them.”

Looking for them? Or for something else?

Before Ludger could ask further, Arfa returned.

“Leader! I’m back. There’s even a pamphlet here. It only covers the forward base, but it has a map.”

“Good. Arfa, more importantly—there’s a little girl here who seems to have lost her parents. Can you help her find them?”

“...Huh?”

Arfa tilted his head, puzzled.

“Leader, what are you talking about? There’s no one here.”